SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2007 Artists Christopher King, organ, and soloists mezzo soprano Jennifer Ponzoni and soprano Suzanne Clune will presented a varied program. There will be organ works by Buxtehude, Bach, and Buck, as well as variations on a well-known hymn with audience participation. Ms. Clune and Ms. Ponzoni will sing both together and individually, including works by Bach, Mozart, and Schubert as well as selections from art songs, opera and Broadway. Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) PRELUDE, FUGUE, AND CHACONNE IN C MAJOR (BuxWV 137) (Organ)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) DUET FROM CANTATA 78 (Vocal Duet)
Johannes Brahms (1833-97) FELDEINSAMKEIT (Op. 86 No. 2) (Mezzo Soprano Solo)
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) ARIA FROM JOSHUA (Soprano Solo) {listen}
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) FROM MASS IN C MINOR (Vocal Duet)
VARIATIONS ON THE CHORALE “Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten” (“If You But Trust in God to Guide You”) (Organ) Prelude by Randall Thompson (1899-1984), melody in Bass Prelude by Randall Thompson, melody in Tenor Prelude by Helmut Walcha (1907-91) HYMN 453, stanzas 1-2, sung by all, standing Prelude by Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) Prelude by Flor Peeters (1903-86) HYMN 453, stanzas 3-4, sung by all, standing Three Preludes by Johann Sebastian Bach: Ornamented melody in Soprano From Schübler Chorales, melody in Alto From Orgelbüchlein, melody in Soprano
F. Flaxington Harker (1923) HOW BEAUTIFUL UPON THE MOUNTAINS (Vocal Duet) {listen}
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) DU BIST DIE RUH WIE MELODIEN ZIEHT ES MIR (Op. 105 No. 1) (Mezzo Soprano Solos)
Gustave Charpentier (1860-1956) “DEPUIS LE JOUR” from OPERA LOUISE (Soprano Solo)
Richard Rodgers (1902-79) “YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE” from CAROUSEL (Mezzo Soprano Solo) {listen}
George Gershwin (1898-1937) “SUMMERTIME” from PORGY AND BESS (Soprano Solo) {listen}
Dudley Buck (1839-1900) CONCERT VARIATIONS ON “THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER” (Organ)
CHRISTOPHER KING, Organist, is Director of Music at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in White Plains, NY, and Associate Organist at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys R. C. Church in Brookfield, CT. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Harvard University, where he studied organ with John Ferris, Melville Smith, and Lois Pardue. An Associate of the American Guild of Organists (A.A.G.O.), he has given multiple recitals at Washington National Cathedral, St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, San Diego Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Methuen (MA) Music Hall, Busch Hall at Harvard, and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore. In the last few years he played recitals at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. He has served as Music Director of several churches and choral groups; four of his choirs have been heard in pre-service recitals at Washington National Cathedral. |
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SUZANNE CLUNE, soprano of Poughkeepsie, NY is a featured soloist recognized for her “remarkable vocal clarity” and “soaring soprano” voice (Times Herald Record). Some of her performed works include MESSIAH, CARMINA BURANA, EXSULTATE, JUBILATE, Handel’s JUDAS MACCABEAUS, Haydn’s “Paukenmesse”, Mozart’s REQUIEM, Vivaldi’s GLORIA, Corigilano’s FERN HILL and several Bach’s Cantatas including BWV 202 (Wedding Cantata), BWV 51 “Jauchzet Gott” and MAGNIFICAT. She has sung in many concerts with orchestras and chamber musicians for notable series, such as Broadway Concerts Express, Grand Montgomery Chamber Series, Hudson Valley Bachfest, Downtown Music Series of White Plains, Potluck Concerts, Music at Marist, West Point Cadet Chapel, Camarata/Ulster Choral Union and The Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Clune has also been featured in Samuel Barber’s KNOXVILLE: SUMMER OF 1915 in venues of the U.K. Her highlighted roles include DIE FLEDERMAUS (Rosalinda), THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (Rosina), THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Susanna), THE MAGIC FLUTE (Pamina), HÄNSEL AND GRETEL (Gretel) and LA BOHÈME (Musetta) for several organizations including the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra, Opera Company of the Highlands, The Hudson Opera Theatre of NJ, Delaware Valley Opera, Tri-State Regional Opera and Festival Theatre of NY. She is a voice performance graduate of Purchase College. While Miss Clune is not performing she works as an adjunct professor at Dutchess Community College and Associate Vocal Director of Marist College. JENNIFER PONZONI, Mezzo Soprano, studied voice with Angus Godwin and choral conducting with Lawrence Doebler at Ithaca College. After moving to Orange County with her family, she performed regularly as an accompanist for the choral ensembles at Orange County Community College and was Music Director for the Wallkill Choral Society for several seasons. Ms. Ponzoni continued her vocal training with Claudia Cummings, and established herself as both soloist and chorister for several ensembles in the Hudson Valley region, Including Cappella Festiva, the Hudson Valley BachFest Choirs, Camerata Chorale/Ulster County Choral Union, West Point Messiah Sing, the Newburgh Symphonic Chorale, and Orange County Classic Choral Society. In addition, she has taken part in several joint recitals and performed in various productions for The Festival Theatre of New York. She is currently the Alto Section leader at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in White Plains and gives private instruction in both voice and piano at C.O.C. Academy of Music in Walden, NY. |
Organist Christopher King is flanked by soloists mezzo soprano Jennifer Ponzoni, left, and soprano Suzanne Clune, right, at the organ of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in White Plains, New York.